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I have an idea for Cal as well, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to write her today. I’ll just start with Ophelia and try to do Cal soon. I’ve been sorely neglecting her XD

Ophelia

Abirami was finally getting the hang of it. I grinned, thrilled with the development.

He hurried off to go get the others and I stayed behind, anxiously rocking from one foot to the other. I checked my nails, for what might have been the tenth time in as many minutes.

The heavy red curtain muffled the murmurs of conversation beyond it. Jade stretched one last time on the stage. I mentally ran through the dance steps, drawing them out in the air as though that would help me remember. I only hoped I wouldn’t forget halfway through.

I hurried into the wings. Isaias stood waiting for me, his expression split between excitement and nervousness.

I smiled at him, no matter how fake it felt. I was about to strike up a conversation when a loud clatter broke through the curtain.

Jade bounced upright and peered through the curtains. Her entire posture was rigid.

A voice thundered across the room, the sound warped and twisted by the curtains. I flinched, instinctively trying to disappear into myself. Whatever that was, I didn’t want to know. Everything was fine. It had nothing to do with me.

Isaias hurried past me, leaving me indecisive in the half-gloom of the wings.

“Jade, did Abirami really just turn into a wolf?”

He’d what? Oh, wait, that had happened earlier, hadn’t it? Had it? I couldn’t remember. It sounded familiar, but then again, that didn’t mean much.

Jade’s face was set in the same hard lines as Athena’s when she’d made up her mind about something.

“Yes, long story. Stay with Ophelia.”

I took a step forward, but she’d already bounded through the curtain, off the stage.

The music from the player kept grinding on, like a music box, even through a roar and a clatter. That sounded big.

My breaths came faster, and I tried to calm down. I was just being hysterical. Nothing was wrong. Isaias shot me a look that was anything but reassuring.

I smiled, but it felt as though I had to tear it out of myself to manage it. Everything would be fine. I couldn’t let anyone see me panic.

Something crashed past us, a wave of smoke and dust and fire. This couldn’t be happening. As though I moved on a dream, my feet barely seeming to touch the stage, I bounded forward and yanked Isaias out of the way, into the wings, away from the destruction. My foot caught on something and I crashed to the ground. The breath tore from my lungs, the impact seeming to paralyze me.

I tried to bite down on my shriek of pain and panic. I couldn’t panic. I couldn’t cry. Nevertheless, my breath caught in a sob that mingled with the grinding, repetitive tune that sounded far too sickly sweet.

The spatters of smoke and ash smeared across my pink skirt as I scrambled upright. I hid beneath the table, covering my ears as though that would block out the roar of fire and ash. Where was Isaias?

I wasn’t crying. I couldn’t cry. The salty drops burned a path through waxy lipstick. It would leave dark streaks beneath my eyes. How would I be able to fix that?

Jade screamed. I disappeared further into myself, trying to fold myself into invisibility.

The way I was trying to block out the noise from the explosion would inevitably mess up my previously neat bun. How would I get the ash stains out of my dress?

The room swayed as though I was on a boat. Or was I just dizzy?  The wave of nausea swept around me, washing over me. The smell of blood and plaster was so strong I almost gagged. It was mixed with the familiar scents of hairspray and chalk. Where was I even? This couldn’t be real.

Something hurled me out from beneath the table, the impact leaving me half gasping, half crying. It felt like I was being yanked to my feet like a marionette. That eternal, unstoppable tune was going to haunt my nightmares.

Silence fell like a blow. Had I gone deaf? Was anything real? I cleared my throat, trying to ignore the pain from trying to hold in my tears. I heard that at least.

Slowly, everything came back into focus. Jade stood beside me, unscathed despite her scream. She looked as though she had just landed on a different planet. With surprise, I noted she was made up, in the heavier style usually used for the stage. Even more surprising, she wore a tutu, a sky blue one embellished with gemstones. It looked perfect on her.

I glanced down at myself and realized I was no longer wearing my ash-stained clothing, but a matching pale pink tutu. A small mirror rested on the table. Feeling as though I was moving in a dream, I picked it up and checked my makeup. It was perfect. Not even mascara stains. My eyes were so bloodshot it was obvious I’d been crying, the one dissonant note. I let out a deep, shuddering breath, and forced myself to smile, as though that would erase everything.

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Well that was kinda creepy to write XD I had fun though!